John the Baptist

Technical Profile

• Name Meaning: Greek Iōannēs from Hebrew Yôḥānān, “Yahweh is gracious,” reflecting divine favor in his birth account.
• Period/Era: Second Temple Period (Roman Imperial Context).
• Main References: Matthew 3; 11; 14; Mark 1; 6; Luke 1; 3; 7; 9; John 1; 3.
• Key Connections: Son of Zechariah and Elizabeth; related to Jesus through kinship in Luke 1; prophet and baptizer who publicly identified Jesus.

Who was John the Baptist?

John the Baptist was a wilderness preacher who called Israel to repentance and practiced baptism in the Jordan region.
He is introduced in the Gospels as a prophetic voice preparing the way for the Lord and announcing the nearness of God’s kingdom.
He pointed to Jesus as the coming one and directed attention away from himself.
His ministry ended under Herod Antipas, who imprisoned and executed him.

Key Events & Achievements

• Public Ministry: Proclaimed repentance and baptized in the Jordan, drawing crowds from Judea and Jerusalem.
• Baptism of Jesus: Baptized Jesus and testified to him in a public setting (Matt 3; Mark 1; Luke 3; John 1).
• Martyrdom: Imprisoned and beheaded by order of Herod Antipas (Matt 14:1–12; Mark 6:14–29).

Life Lesson & Legacy

Faithful witness in God’s mission can involve humility and costly perseverance even when public influence declines.

Key Verse

"He must increase, but I must decrease." — John 3:30, ESV